


Nineteen Kahlan/Richard Short Stories

by musesmistress



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 09:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musesmistress/pseuds/musesmistress





	Nineteen Kahlan/Richard Short Stories

### Beautiful Snowflakes

The first flake landed on Kahlan's eye lash, it didn't feel cold enough for snow and it was rare to have snow this far north, but she wouldn't complain, it would be beautiful in a few minutes with thousands of flakes falling around them. Ahead of her she watched Cara look up and let out a huff at the change of weather, any minute now the Mord'sith would let out a sarcastic comment or complaint about slowing them down or sleeping in the cold.

"Wonderful," Cara said under her breath. "Sleeping on a cold floor again."

Kahlan just smiled and watched as Cara tightened her cloak around herself before she turned to look for Richard. He'd been wandering along behind them, deep in thought and as she turned, she realised she hadn't heard his footsteps for a while. He wasn't behind her, or anywhere back up the path.

"Richard?" she called, just loud enough to be heard by Cara and Zedd further up the path. "Richard?" she called a little louder.

"Here," Richard said, stepping out of the trees to her left and making her jump. "Come on, I have something to show you." He took her hand, signalled to Zedd and Cara to wait and pulled her into the trees. They emerged a moment later at a frozen lake and a thick downfall of white, a mixture of snow and blossoms from trees on the other side of the water. It was like stepping into a white paradise. The most beautiful snowflakes she'd ever seen.

Richard reached up and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "It's beautiful here," he whispered as she looked around. "But nothing's as beautiful as you." She turned to him then, with a smile on her face and he leaned in and kissed her. She loved the snow almost as much as she loved Richard.

\---

### Bubbles

Richard had to admit that bubbles were becoming a part of his everyday life and he wasn't ashamed to say he didn't mind that one little bit. It had started a few years ago, with the bubbles of a fizzy wine they'd been served at their wedding. Kahlan had said the drink was rare and only came out for the most special of occasions. His wedding and his first night with Kahlan all revolved around those delicate bubbles.

The bubbles that emerged with the foam at the bottom of the waterfall not far outside Aydindril where everywhere around him the night they conceived their first daughter. And their second. He had started to think those particular bubbles were full of magic that gave him exactly what he wanted.

Now he sat in the garden of the confessors palace with the two children, while Kahlan nursed their third. He had a pot of soap water in one hand and stick with a hole in the end grasped in the other as he blew the bubbles out over the garden for the girls to chase.

He couldn't find fault with bubbles at all. They brought him the best things, his wife, his daughters and the laughter and squeals he was listening to at the moment. He just had to smile as he watched them play.

\---

### Castle

"That's odd," Kahlan said, pausing on the path and looking up at the castle.

"What is?" Richard said, following her gaze. Kahlan indicated the blue and white towers of the castle in the distance.

"That wasn't there before."

"How long ago were you here?" he asked. She knew what he was thinking, someone had built the castle recently.

"A year ago, I passed here on my way to you." 

Richard's brow went up. "That is odd," he said unhelpfully. "Maybe we should find out who lives there."

Kahlan nodded in agreement and they set off towards the strange castle's doors.

\---

### Decorations

Cara scowled at the decoration piled up at the foot of the stairs. The workers of the Confessors Palace were moving from railings and posts around the entry hall hanging garlands and other decorations wherever there was a suitable place to put one. Cara thought it was a waste of time and effort. She headed for the door to the kitchen and paused at the sight heading her way. Coming up the stairs towards the entry way of the palace was Richard and a handful of guards all carrying between them a massive tree. The wide doors to the entry hall would struggle to let this monstrosity through, but she had a feeling Richard would manage it anyway. The Winter Solstice was important to him, and this year more so, he had a 10 month old daughter to teach and make happy.

Kahlan and their daughter Megan had been shut upstairs in the Mother Confessors room for the morning, told they were not to leave until everything was ready. Cara had just left there to get them some lunch, Kahlan hadn't wanted to interrupt one of workers to get it so Cara had offered. She wished she hadn't now.

Shaking her head as Richard attempted to get the tree through the door she vanished into the kitchen and gathered up lunch for herself and Kahlan and some of the specially prepared food for the baby and headed back out towards the entry hall. She was shocked to see that the tree had made it through the door, though it was obvious that Zedd had arrived in time to help them, the old wizard stood in the middle of the room now, staring up at the massive tree that had been set up and half decorated in the few minutes Cara had been absent. She watched for a moment as he considered, then raised his hands and sent a huge amount of decoration up against the tree and into place.

She quirked a brow, shook her head again and vanished up the stairs to have lunch with Kahlan.

\---

### Dreams and Memories

Kahlan smiled as she watched Richard with the girls out in the garden, she couldn't really believe that everything had turned out this well. When she'd met him, she'd been in danger, hurting from the loss of her sister, scared from the chase and worried she would never find the wizard she needed. The fight for their lives that had followed had made her believe for two years that none of her dreams would ever come true.

She'd grown up known that falling in love and marrying was never going to happen, that a man would never be the same once touched by her magic. To find out that was wrong was bliss and then to spend five years getting used to being married to a man who was just a wonderful today as he was the day she met him was a dream come true. Now she was here, watching her dreams play out, the good life after the untainted by the horrible memories of how they met and what they faced together.

Three beautiful daughters, after countless monsters and a peaceful living after running for their lives. The dreams and memories already given in to the new reality she saw before her.

\---

### Dreams Come True

Richard stared up at the stars considering his future. He and Kahlan had been married for three months now and the world was quiet. He hoped it would last.

Picking the brightest star, Richard mentally drew a bow with nocked arrow in the night sky and just as he made it back around, Kahlan sat down beside him. She looked up for a moment, resting back against the log next to him.

"Lost in thought again, Richard?" Kahlan asked, her tone was soft and playful.

"Thinking about all the dreams I once had, and all the ones I have now," he replied.

"I used to dream about growing up, finding a man I loved and finding a way to be with him without confessing him. I think every confessor secretly dreamed of that."

"You made your dream come true," he said, turning to face her.

"I guess I did." She smiled back. "What are your dreams?"

"I used to dream of finding a beautiful, intelligent woman, marrying her and having a family with her in the woods."

"Well, three out of four isn't bad," she said.

Richard's brow furrowed. "Three? I only count two."

Kahlan said nothing for a moment. "We'll we're not living in the woods." She said slowly. "At least not yet. I mean, we can build a house in the woods outside Aydindril and just go escape there now and again."

"Kahlan," Richard interrupted. "Are you with child?"

"Took you long enough," she said.

Richard lunged forward, pulling Kahlan into a tight hug. "You always seem to make my dreams come true."

"Eventually," Kahlan added with a laugh.

\---

### End of All Things

The end of all things was coming, they could see the chasms in the Earth, the voids that dropped down to the underworld. They had run out of time and options. They'd travelled everywhere looking for answers, spells, scrolls and everything they could think of or find a link to that would help stop it. But they'd exhausted ever available option and avenue until they'd ended up in Aydindril.

The festival below in the city was beautiful. Dancing, drinking and people hugging and being friendly when they wouldn't normally, or neighbours getting to know each other who had never so much as nodded hello in passing. It made Kahlan wish there was something she could do. It made her sad that she'd been unable to protect her people and continue the line of confessors. Instead, the Keeper had won, and she and Richard had given in to their feelings.

He was asleep on the bed behind her, she hadn't been able to go to sleep and had just watched him sleep for a while, thankful that they would never wake up and she'd never have to see him confessed and under a horrible spell that took away everything she loved. She'd gotten up an hour ago, wrapped herself in a gown and stood watching the party. But she knew she couldn't stand there forever, she didn't want to be awake when the end came. So she turned back to the bed and slipped into it and up against Richard and drifted off to sleep. This was the only way they could be together forever.

\---

### Fever

Richard let the silence between him and Zedd settle for a moment, checking on his grandfather had been easy, but checking on Kahlan would be a more tricky converation. She was stubborn, well so was Zedd, but for Kahlan, her confessor pride stopped her from really telling him how she felt. As Zedd dug into the bag for something to snack on, Richard slowed his horse until Kahlan had caught him up. She'd been trailing for a while and it made him worry just that little bit more.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine richard," Kahlan said with a soft smile. "Really."

"You've only had a day to recover..."

"Thank you for your concern richard, but I'm fine. I'm just glad things are over and we're moving on."

Silence slipped in, he should have thought about this a little more.

"I was worried about you, when I saw how sick you'd gotten."

"Richard, thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

"For being there, you're always there as a real seeker whould know where to be, where to go."

"Well, let's hope I'm there on time to kill Darken Rahl." He gave her a playful grin to lighten the mood.

"I know you will be," she said seriously, then pulled back lightly on the reins to stop her horse. "Richard," she said, holding his gaze. "Thank you for your concern about my health."

Richard grinned again. "Comes with the job," he said, making her smile back.

\---

### First Fight

Kahlan woke shivering, she and Richard had been married for a few weeks now, but for the first time they were sleeping in an actual bed. Curled up by the campfire, up close and wrapped tight with a blanket for the winter nights was wonderful but the comfort of the bed was just as sweet. The only problem is, Richard was now stealing the blankets in his sleep.

"Richard," she said, frustrated and cold. She turned over and took him in, wrapped up like a caterpillar in a cocoon. Finding a corner, she pried the cover loose and wrapped herself back in, snuggling close so he wouldn't have to take it all again. She shifted for a moment, settling in the bed and closed her eyes. She was just drifting off to sleep when Richard shifted and the covers slid off her to be wrapped around him.

Cold and annoyed at him, Kahlan grabbed the blanket and tugged it back to her side of the bed. Richard rolled with is, still fast asleep, forcing Kahlan over to the edge of the bed and trapping the blanket under him. She shoved him back and he rolled quickly over and off the edge of the bed. Richard was up on his feet quick as lightning.

"What was that for?" he asked, watching as Kahlan wrapped herself in the blanket.

"You kept taking the blanket," she replied calmly.

"So you pushed me out of bed."

"If you're always going to be stealing the covers at night when we actually get a bed you should get used to sleeping on the floor," Kahlan shouted.

"I am used to sleeping on the floor," Richard shouted back. They stared at each other for a moment before Richard broke into a grin. "We fight D'Haran soldiers every day, don't have a home of our own or chores to do except laundry and cooking and we're fighting over a cover on our first night in a bed." He chuckled and slid back onto the bed, dropping down to lay up close to Kahlan's back, she was shuddering with suppressed laughter.

"If all our fights are going to end this way, we're gonna have an interesting marriage," Kahlan said, reaching a hand out to brush away tears of laughter.

Richard pressed himself closer. "I miss sleeping by the fire," he said. "I miss sleeping up close to you without a blanket to keep us warm."

"Nobody made you stop," Kahlan said. "Just because we have a bed with enough space doesn't mean we need to use it all."

"And just because we have covers, doesn't mean we need to use them," Richard said, slowly peeling away the cover from Kahlan. She chuckled and snuggled back into the warmth of his arms.

\---

### Glorious

She'd never watched him before, not really watched. Whenever he'd been practicing with the sword she'd either been somewhere else or too busy she just wasn't paying any attention. Now though, she was watching and her eyes were fixed on his wonderful chest.

Rippling muscles flexed on his arm as he adjusted his hold and he tightened the ones in his chest, probably aware that she was watching. She couldn't help but lick her lips as he took a swing at the target, she watched it flicker down from his arms, across his chest and down through his stomach. Glorious!

\---

### Kiss with a Fist

Cara snuck across the camp to the other three sleeping mats, she knew how they slept, they were always the same. Zedd had his spot on the very end, and she could hear him snoring off the stew they'd had for dinner, flat on his back with his eyes wide open, which made him all the more annoying and freaky. Richard was always in the middle, a larger gap between him and his snoring grandfather than there is between him and the woman he loves, Kahlan Amnell, The Mother Confessor. That put Kahlan on the end, a dagger beside her pillow in case someone snuck up in the night. It never mattered that there was someone on watch.

Stepping over Zedd's mat, Cara settled down between the old, noisy wizard and the seeker of truth. He was a lovely man, rugged and hansom, strong and heroic and the complete opposite to the last Lord Rahl. She didn't want much from him, just one small kiss so that she would always know he loved her. She knew it would never be the same type of love he showed Kahlan, but something was better than nothing. She leaned in, and pressed a kiss to his lips, lingering for just a moment.

She didn't expect the fist that came up and caught her chin.

"What are you doing?" Kahlan screamed.

"What?" Cara asked, confused now. She sat back up as Kahlan did and realised with a horrible moment of clarity that Kahlan had been sleeping in the middle.

"You kissed me!"

"You were meant to be sleeping there." She pointed to Richard's spot as he sat up.

"Richard had first watch," Kahlan said. "He doesn't like stepping over me to get to bed, so I always take the middle." She explained. "What are you doing kissing Richard in the middle of the night?"

Cara didn't answer, she didn't know how. She'd had two too many kisses tonight, one with the confessor, the other with her fist.

\---

### Mind Over Matter

Sometimes it was more of a burden than something wonderful. Loving Richard had its prices and some of them were higher than others. He would have to go for long periods of time, they'd have to be Lord Rahl and The Mother Confessor in public instead of showing affection. But for her, this was the worst of it. Putting her confessor duty over him. Sitting in the council chambers being the confessor they expect was easy. But making choices that forced her to push him aside for the better of everyone was a rotten thing to have to do. And sometimes, she knew those choices would hurt him, or be something he wouldn't want done.

There had been times when she'd had to put him forward to do tasks that were less than pleasant. Even sending him away to sort out issues was hard, but they had to be done. There were times Richard would talk about getting away, take up a quiet life in the mountains, or more often the forests. He would tell her about the forests he used to roam in Westland, paint a mental picture of a spot he remembers where they could build their own house, right next to a river. She wished they could do it, but their duty here and their compassion for others kept them in the midlands. Kept them making those horrible choices - their minds over their hearts.

\---

### Once Upon a Love Story

"A story, a story." Kahlan turned at the sound of her youngest daughter's voice, she was meant to be asleep an hour ago. The little one rubbed at her eyes as she repeated her request. "I want a story mama."

"A story? For a little girl who was meant to be asleep an hour ago?" She turned to the oldest of the three who she'd just brought up to bed. "What do you think Nora?"

"I think a story would be good." Nora replied.

"Yeah," the other two agreed.

"Alright." Kahlan moved over to sit on the edge of Lara's bed. "Once upon a time there was a girl named Kahlan."

"That's your name, mama," Nora said.

"No said it couldn't be a story about me," Kahlan said with a grin. "Once upon a time there was a girl named Kahlan and she was in charge of making sure the midlands were safe and the people happy. But the thing that protected the midlands the most was about to fail and Kahlan was going to end up on an adventure that would last a lifetime."

"The boundaries are gonna fail," Lara interjected.

"And the Wizard's will get mama to Westland where she'll meet papa." Nora added.

"And then they get married and have babies." Melissa said from her new bed.

Kahlan laughed. "I think you've heard this story before."

"Yeah, papa told us a few days ago." Nora said.

"Do you know why he told it?" Kahlan asked.

"Because he doesn't know any stories either?" Lara tried, causing Kahlan and Nora to laugh.

"Because he's silly," Melissa said.

"Your father knows loads of stories," Kahlan said. "Though he is silly, that's not why he told you the story."

"It's because he loves you," Nora said. "And yesterday was your ammivortaty."

"An-ni-ver-sary." Kahlan corrected. "That's right, your father and I have been married for 6 years now."

"That's a long time." Melissa said after a yawn.

"Not long enough," Kahlan said softly. "Now, it's time for the three most beautiful girls in the world to get some sleep."

"Four," Lara corrected. "You need to sleep too, mama."

Kahlan smiled. "Four," she corrected herself. "Sweet dreams my beautiful girls."

\---

### Opal

The glint of something caught Kahlan's eye, this was the second time this week and now she was sure where it was from. Richard was hiding something in his pack and every time he pulled something out, the object glittered in the afternoon sun.

Sneakily, as Richard moved away from his pack to gather firewood, Kahlan moved closer and flipped the top open to peek inside. There it was, sitting on spare clothes at the bottom of his bag, a small blue and green Opal Gemstone. It was beautiful. Kahlan pulled back quickly and closed the bag. She could wait.

\---

### Orden

The Boxes of Orden, for Richard, were something to fear. He'd felt the wrath it's power and frightened him. But what scared him more was how it could have affected Kahlan. He'd ordered her to kill another woman for no reason, Denna deserved it for lying to him about his mother, but Kahlan didn't deserve any of it.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping up beside her. "I shouldn't have done that to you."

"Richard," she said a reassuring smile. "It wasn't you, you have nothing to be sorry for." She pecked his cheek and pulled back with a serious look. 

\---

### Sand

Cara's brow went up at Kahlan, she'd been giggling randomly like a mad woman for the last hour and it had caught her attention. She watched as the Confessor cleared her expression and glanced up in Richards direction. The Seeker had his back to her and she watched for a moment before he shifted uncomfortably. Kahlan giggled again.

"What's so funny?" Cara asked. Kahlan shook her head and stifled another laugh as Richard shifted again.

Cara gave up and moved over to Richard. "Ants in your pants?" she asked, quirking a brow?

"Worse," Richard said, causing Kahlan to laugh. "Sand."

\---

### Sunset

"Quick," Richard said grabbing Kahlan by the hand and pulling her out of the camp they'd set up. He heard Zedd's chuckle and could practically feel Cara's glare as he hopped over the log and started for the hill.

"Richard," Kahlan tried. A small laugh on her lips as he weaved around trees and ducked under branches. "Where are we going?" she couldn't stop laughing and it made him smile.

"You'll see," he told her and made a sharp turn around a tree and started up the hill. He didn't stop, or slow down until he reached the top. Pausing them only to let Kahlan take in the view. He released her hand and took a step away, watching as the awe spread across her face. The sun across the horizon was just dropping below the city in the distance and the reflections bounced across the sky in a haze of orange and red.

"Wow," Kahlan breathed. Richard smiled and glanced quickly to the blanket he had already set down before moving back to stand beside her.

"We have about five minutes before the sun disappears. I wanted to share this with you."

He could see the slight struggle it took for her to turn away from the view and look at him. For a moment he thought she was going to say something, before he leaned in and kissed him.

"Thank you." Was all she could manage before he turned them back to the sunset.

\---

### The Best Solstice Present

Richard had been gone from the palace for two weeks and he hated the timing of having to go so far away from Kahlan when she could give birth any day. He was hoping the baby hadn't been born, but he had no idea if he was that lucky - in fact he knew he wasn't.

The worst of it, was that today was Solstice morning and he had nothing to give Kahlan, he'd tried to find something suitable in the few villages he passed, but nothing seemed right. He hated himself, he hated the people who always wanted to kill them or those who wanted to take away magic because they didn't understand it. He was going to make changes to that, teach all those people, so they wouldn't fear what was given to a few lucky people.

He sighed and took hold of the door handle to their room and before closing his eyes and making the wish that the baby either hadn't been born, or was perfectly healthy. Letting out the breath, he opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.

The quiet room was shocking, as if a blanket of calm had been placed over the room, a maid on the other side was setting up breakfast while another fussed around the bed. Richard followed her with his eye until she passed Kahlan and he could set his eyes on his wife and the small bundle laying curled up next to her. He met her eyes for a bare moment before he moved over and took in the soft skin of his baby girl on the bed.

\---

### The Storm

He sat close at her side, watching out over the darkened horizon as if it was a distant beauty, a woman he loved just out of his reach. It was a look he often gave her when she knew his mood had shifted from caring, to loving, and then quickly into lust. They'd learned that they couldn't give in to it and had since silently agreed that seeing the need in the other was enough of a reminder. Enough of a promise.

It had started out as damp air, the kind you could only associate with a coming rain. Richard had watched the sky for several minutes ignoring Zedd's explanation of why he and Cara where heading for the nearest village. The reason was always the same, they needed supplies. Shortly after the others had left Richard started collecting their things, picking up her white dress last and with a quick "come on" walked away.

She hadn't argued or questioned, just followed, knowing eventually that he'd give her dress back. He had, when they'd reached the caves and he'd slipped inside. By that point the mist had turned to a light downpour of rain then harshly morphed into a storm with booms of thunder and flashes of lightning.

"I love storms," he commented idly. "I know the perfect place to sit in Westland in the middle of a storm. You get all the colours of the day, or night. It's almost as beautiful as you."

If she hadn't seen the look in his eyes, she would have laughed at how sappy that sounded. Instead, she smiled and shifted closer. A blanket came up around them and she smiled knowing he had planned every second of that moment. His arm slipped across her back and pulled her close.

"We could be stuck here for a while," he said simply. She knew in that moment he'd picked this cave, the smallest one, so he could keep her close in private for once, instead of under the watchful eyes of Zedd.

She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the rain drip off the leaves of the nearby trees. Never had a storm been more wonderful.


End file.
